Following on from last year’s visits by award-winning chefs such as Kenny Atkinson, Steven Smith and Matt Worswick, the L20 Hotel School at Hugh Baird College welcomed acclaimed Scottish chef, Mark Greenaway to their kitchens for their latest guest chef evening.

Mark is a true advocate of providing young people with the support they need to get the best start in the hospitality industry. As well as working with the Prince’s Trust, he also continuously welcomes school leavers into his restaurant for work experience. He runs the renowned Restaurant Mark Greenaway in Edinburgh and even represented Scotland on the BBC’s Great British Menu. With a passion for Scottish ingredients, he uses only the very best local, seasonal produce, transforming them with modern techniques.

Hosting January’s guest chef evening at the L20 Restaurant, Chef Greenaway found time to hold a question and answer session with the L20 Hotel School students as well as allowing a small group of them to join the brigade working with him and his sous chef for the two day visit. The specially selected group of eight students helped with preparing the elaborate menu which included presse of pheasant, scallops with cauliflower risotto and one of the chef’s signature dishes, slow roasted belly pork. It was all followed up by a seasonal version of Eton mess, using rhubarb instead of the traditional strawberries.

Chef Greenaway said:

“Tonight we’ve tried to bring a taste of Scotland down to Liverpool and hopefully our menu has shown the students something a little different to what they’re used to. Working with the L20 Hotel School students has been great. Obviously, they’re not professional chefs but they’re getting on with anything we’ve asked of them. They’re not scared to get stuck into it and it’s good to see such enthusiasm and confidence.”

“This has been yet another truly unique opportunity for our students. For these young aspiring chefs, the skills and knowledge they learn from the high profile industry leaders who give up their time to visit us is invaluable. Thanks to the support of chefs such as Mark, we are able to prepare students for their careers and we’re looking forward to welcoming more big named chefs throughout the coming year – Steven Burgess and Ernst van Zyl to name but a few.”

Guests and aspiring young chefs should also look out for a big announcement coming soon when we hope to bring another young local star to the L20 restaurant...

The L20 Hotel School forms part of one of the UK’s first Hospitality and Visitor Economy Career Colleges for 14-19 year olds, in partnership with the Career College Trust. The facility offers students both academic and practical preparation for the world of work within the Hospitality and Visitor Economy industries, both areas of huge employment growth in the Liverpool City Region.

If you are interested in a career in hospitality and catering, find out more about the L20 Hotel School courses at www.l20hotelschool.co.uk/training or telephone 0151 353 4444.